Poly + Polycom) DSP-500 Digitally-Enhanced USB Gaming/Multimedia Stereo Headset and Software

The DSP-500 is a great gaming headset. I have owned probably 10 pairs of these over the past 5 years and use them just about every day for online gaming. I have a pair set up also for both my sons who each game as well.Very simple to use...just plug them into the USB port of your computer. Done. The in-line volume and mute buttons come in very handy as well for making adjustments on the fly. The cord is VERY long and makes it great for moving around your computer while keeping the headset on......I listen to satellite radio online while working in my office and these give me the freedom to move around my office space. The boom mic can be moved up or down as needed.The ear pieces may be a bit large for some but personally I like having a complete cover over my ear area. This blocks out surrounding noise and gives me the full digital sound experience the headset can offer.I highly recommend these. I have 3 sets in use right now between myself and my kids, all using them for online gaming. I even keep one extra set in storage for when needed (my kids can get a bit rough with them!!). They are a very durable headset but over constant use, day in and day out, you must expect some wear. For the price/quality ratio you can't find a better headset in my opinion.

I was looking for a headset/mic for playing World of Warcraft - needed to hear game sounds plus be able to communicate on Ventrilo or TeamSpeak.My first purchase was the Logitech 350. The sound was very nice but after 2-3 hours of use, I had to change the position of the headset because it just crushed my ears. It got to the point where I had to move the headset forward on my head with the earpieces barels touching my ears.So, after reading some reviews on the Plantronics, I decided to give them a go.The greatest benefit of these is that they are so comfortable. The tension is perfect and you get no pain at all! yes, if you shake your head, they will fall off, but why would you be shaking your head?The sound quality is not that great - more treble/metallic than the Logitech. I'm sure I could play with some sound settings but at this point, I'm very content with them.So, the main reason you buy these is for the comfort. If you are wanting great sound, I suggest looking elsewhere.

I bought these for online gaming and I coulnd't be happier. The sound is crisp and clear. The bass tones are rich and full. And my teammates can hear me perfectly. I find them comfortable to wear for long stretches, which is a plus for those 3am game sessions, thanks to the cloth padded ear cups. The rubber band over your head holds them snuggly in place, without squeezing or pinching, or catching hair. Although there is no included software (you must download that from the Plantronics website), they are easy to set up and configure to your own audio taste. Switching between the headset and your speakers is done with the click of a button. The only issue I have is that since they are USB, if I don't remember to plug them in before I start my game, I need to quit my game, plug them in, and then restart my game. My bad, no fault of the headset! I've only had them for a couple of weeks, so I can't comment on the durability, although I have used Plantronics headsets in the past and found them reliable.

This is the most comfortable set of headphones I've ever found. Over the last couple of months, I've found that I can wear them for hours without my ears feeling like they've been trapped; very nice for long gaming sessions. The sound quality is excellent, as is the capture quality from the mic. The adjustable mic arm is very handy, especially when you're not using the voice capabilities and want it in the upright position to be completely out of your way. The cord is both good and not-so-good - it's LOOOOOOONG, so you don't have to worry about being tethered to your computer. You can move your chair back, walk around a bit, and you're still ok. The less-than-good part is that the power brick/DSP is a bit bulky. Luckily, it's right at the end of the cord, so you can park it next to your computer and still have all that cord available to let you walk around with.I use them with my Mac at home, and they've worked great so far. The only "issue" I've had is that I've been in the habit of turning the in-game volume to the max on most everything, and then adjusting the system volume to compensate. These headphones tend to amplify the volume a bit, so I've ended up tweaking the in-game volume down a lot. This has meant that my system volume now usually sits around the middle of the volume bar instead of on the bottom couple of lines. Kind of funny that it took a pair of nice headphones to convince me to use the volume settings the way they're intended!